All Nippon Airways (ANA) operated (26-Oct-2011) the first ever passenger flight of the B787 (powered by twin Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines) on 26-Oct-2011. The specially chartered flight departed from Tokyo Narita International Airport, with more than 240 passengers of board just after midday and landed four and a half hours later in Hong Kong. ANA has ordered 55 B787s from Boeing and has already received two aircraft, with a total of 20 slated for delivery by the end of FY2012 (Mar-2013). Nine B787s are expected at the carrier before the end of Mar-2012, one less than previously expected (Bloomberg, 26-Oct-2011). The B787s will eventually help ANA save JPY10 billion p/a (USD130 million) through fuel savings, the carrier has forecast. However, ANA CEO and president Shinichiro Ito stated delays to the B787 had put the carrier "through hard times" (Reuters, 26-Oct-2011). Scheduled services featuring the B787 will commence on 01-Nov-2011 to domestic Japanese destinations and international services on ANA will commence in the following two months with initial services to Beijing and Frankfurt. The B787 has strong links with Japan, with Japanese manufacturers providing approximately 35% of all the aircraft parts, including key sections of the wings and fuselage. [more - original PR]

ANA: “ANA is proud to be the world’s first airline to fly the 787 Dreamliner. This revolutionary new aircraft will transform air travel for passengers and help ANA in its strategic goal of becoming Asia’s number one airline. The innovative design features of the 787 Dreamliner, many pioneered here in Japan, will benefit passengers, airlines and the environment alike. As the aircraft’s launch customer, ANA was honoured to work alongside Boeing in the development of the 787 Dreamliner and we are now looking forward to introducing more of these fantastic aircraft across our network," CEO and president, Shinichiro Ito. Source: Company statement, 26-Oct-2011.

You may also be interested in the following articles...

Aviation has yet to define India’s role in the trans-Pacific growth story. Geography allows connections from North America to India via Europe, the Gulf and – more quietly – Northeast Asia. Northeast Asian airlines have a theoretical advantage linking India with the North American west coast. The challenge they face is fitting a square peg into a round hole.

The presence of Northeast Asian airlines is large in North America but small in India, while Southeast Asian airlines are small in North America but large in India. Cathay Pacific, and to a lesser extent All Nippon Airways, are in the strategic sweet spot, relatively. Growing China-India relations could result in Chinese airlines playing a larger role in this market. The different transit regions available mean that there is competition between partnerships and joint ventures. These pressures could grow as the Indian market continues expanding.

Kazakhstan’s Air Astana is increasing its focus on sixth freedom transit traffic as part of a new strategy aimed at capitalising on its low cost structure and geographic position at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. More transit traffic is necessary to unlock a new phase of growth and reduce its reliance on its home market.

Air Astana has nearly doubled its transit traffic over the past year in response to challenging market conditions in Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan economy has weakened significantly as oil prices have collapsed, leading to rapid currency devaluation that has impacted Air Astana’s top line. The airline’s revenues have fallen 25% since 2013 while passenger traffic has been relatively flat.

Increased sixth freedom traffic, slower expansion and reduced costs have enabled the airline to maintain profitability. A further and bigger transit traffic push is risky but should drive improved scale, a resumption of growth, and a stronger long-term position – which in turn will make Air Astana more attractive as it revisits long-delayed IPO plans.